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Celebrating the unsung heroes of biology
Dolly
Dolly was created in 1997 by a team of scientists at the Roslin Institute.
Plaque to be unveiled will celebrate Dolly the sheep

A plaque will be unveiled this week to celebrate the team who created Dolly the sheep - the first clone of an adult mammal.

The plaque is one of 10 to be unveiled around the country in a drive to celebrate unsung heroes and inspire a new generation of biologists.

Dolly was created in 1997 by a team of scientists at the Roslin Institute. Lead researcher Sir Ian Wilmut from the University of Edinburgh says the project "revolutionised our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate development."

It was previously believed that a cell could not be changed once it had differentiated to a specific tissue type. "The birth of Dolly showed that this is not the case," he added. "This result stimulated research which is now providing revolutionary opportunities in medicine."

The plaque celebrating Dolly and the team will be unveiled by the Society of Biology at the Roslin Institute.

As part of the society's national project - Biology: Changing the World - a further nine plaques will be unveiled. They will honour unsung biologists including Dorothy Hodgkin from Suffolk, who discovered the structure of penicillin; Steptoe, Edwards and Purdy from Oldham, who pioneered IVF treatment; and Richard Owen from Lancaster who invented the word "dinosaur".

Biologists contribute to our understanding of the world, but do not always receive the same recognition as other great figures in history. The Society of Biology is hoping to change this with its national project.

As well as giving these biologists the commendation they deserve, chief executive Dr Mark Downs says the project is also about celebrating biology and biologists today.

"The life sciences will be essential for solving the problems of the 21st century such as food security and antibiotic resistance," he explained. "By highlighting our great biology heritage we hope to inspire the next generation."

Alongside a public engagement programme, the society has also launched a new free app. By detecting the user's location, the app allows them to learn about great biologists who lived and worked in the area and the discoveries they made.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.